Sorrow

My name is Olivia Kohorst and I am a second year GCC fashion student. For this

year’s fashion show Ebullition I have created a scene pertaining to the japanese syllable

ai standing for sadness, with the title sorrow. Sorrow defined is a feeling of deep

distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by oneself or

others. Being quite a happy person daily, the choice to represent sorrow through my

scene may have come as a surprise to those who know me. However I wished not to

express my own sorrow (which I currently have little of) but speak up, express, and

bring awareness for those that feel unable to do so themselves. Inspired by the recent

mental health awareness movement I find it important to give everyone an equal chance

to be seen. Through my collection I want to challenge everyone to step into others

shoes and genuinely try to understand struggles that we may not be familiar,

experienced, or recognized within ourselves in order to increase compassion and

understanding of all around us. The inclusion of muted and moody hues such as black,

grey, cream, and dark blue seen throughout my garments aim to bring that sorrowful

feeling to the audience. This aim is also included in the silhouettes featured in the

collection which consists of baggy loungewear. The point of view I really strived to

capture though my collection was that of an individual so weighed down by their sorrow

that they find it impossible to get out of bed. Portraying such a deep emotion was

important to me because I want others to realize that what they see is not always the

truth. Inorder for us as a society to grow and thrive we must treat our neighbours with

kindness and respect. This includes the neighbours that “act different”, “don’t talk

much”, or “have a sloppy appearance” because the truth is you do not and can not know

what they are going through until you “offer that helping hand”, “give them a kind hello”,

and “show them someone cares”. Everyone deserves to feel valid in this life and that is

my challenge to those viewing my collection, who can you give validation to today?

Throughout the course of the fashion show there were many struggles that fellow

designers and I had to overcome in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Reflecting now I

find this situation very fitting for the theme of the show considering the amount of

emotions I have gone through during each COVID-19 update, each new rule to be

followed, and each new plan (going from A-D). I started off very much in my chosen

emotion, sorrow, when learning that the college campus had closed due to the virus and

that the fashion show would no longer be able to be held in the arena leaving only

alternative options. Moving to confusion and anger as week by week our next brilliant

plan to keep the show going was denied. Finally landing on plan D of having an online

lookbook “fashion show” I find myself content and moving toward happiness and joy as

we continue to create and explore a concept that’s never been done before in GCC

fashion show history. However the anger, confusion, and sadness has not all vanished.

In keeping with set rules during the pandemic I had to say goodbye to many of my initial

models that were to bring my scene to life. Only being able to use those you lived with

as models presented a struggle and took away the diversity I wanted present in my

scene. Fortunately enough I happened to live with two of my models and am able to

model myself, however I still had to get creative and adjust garments to make sure my

vision was presented correctly. In addition I created my own background to ensure the

feeling of sorrow was eminent and the picture of an weighed down individual unable to

leave the bed was pursued. Overcoming these challenges during such a difficult time

and producing a fashion show in the way we have this year will stand as a reminder that

the show must go on and that giving up is not an option, anything and everything is

achievable sometimes you just have to get creative.